


At its core

by elareine



Series: Advent Calendar 2019 [14]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Aroace Duke Thomas, Duke Thomas-centric, Families of Choice, Fatherhood, Future Fic, Gen, Kid Fic, Multi, Polyamory, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21796585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elareine/pseuds/elareine
Summary: “You thinking of becoming a father, too?”After a day out with Roy, Tim and Jason’s kids, Duke has some thoughts.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Series: Advent Calendar 2019 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558834
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	At its core

**Author's Note:**

> Advent calendar day fourteen: kid fic.

“We’re home!” 

“Welcome back, guys,” Roy greeted, stepping aside to let Lian and Duke pass through before picking up his youngest. “Did you have fun with Uncle Duke?” 

“I did!” Ava grinned. “And we got _the best_ Christmas presents, but I’m not telling you! Uncle Duke,” that cute smile turned serious, “you gotta hide them reeeal well.” 

“I did,” Duke told her solemnly, holding out his empty hands. “See? They’re in my cars, and it’s locked.” 

“Nothing to worry about, then.” Roy planted a kiss on Ava’s forehead. “Ready for bed, princess?” 

“I guess…” 

“C’mon,” Roy told Lian over his shoulder as he walked away, “you’re the one putting her to bed on Saturdays.” 

“Alright, alright.” She trotted after him, leaving Duke standing in the corridor all alone. 

“Join us?” Jason called from the living room. 

Duke took one look at how inviting and warm the room looked. “Yeah, thanks.” 

He was frozen to the bone because Ava had insisted on a snow fight. He’d wanted to indulge the little girl and had stayed still enough to let her get some shots in… which Lian had then ruthlessly exploited by a sneak attack from behind. That girl had some skills. 

Instead of a more traditional seating arrangement with couches and armchairs, the Harpers had decided to fashion an elevated platform with several mattresses and an assortment of pillows and blankets. It was big enough that Duke could plop down next to Jason and Tim without worrying about not leaving space for Roy. 

Jason moved to press against him anyway, throwing his blanket over Duke and sharing his warmth. “So, what did you get up to?” 

Duke settled in. “We started at Target…”

A few minutes later, Roy joined them, squeezing in unnecessarily close behind Tim. Duke was just finishing a story about trying to find a top that wasn’t ‘totally ugly’ for Lian’s recital when Roy hummed and looked at him. “You thinking of becoming a father, too?” he asked. 

Something in the way he said that was so disarming Duke didn’t even bristle. No wonder the dude managed to negotiate a relationship with two of the most prickly people Duke knew (always excluding the pricklemaster himself, of course). 

“I guess. It’s kinda theoretical, though. Not like I’m gonna be in a relationship anytime soon.” Or ever. 

“Relax,” Jason chuckled. “He’s not asking if you’re gonna have sex anytime soon.” 

“Well, thank God.” Duke’s voice was dry, and they laughed. However, he couldn’t help point out: “That’s still the most conventional way of acquiring children, you know.” 

Tim did not look sympathetic at all. “Yeah, because everything about this family says that it’s _biology_ that really creates loving bonds.” 

Jason snorted. “Not to remind everyone of that time I was blown up, but that’s literally the only thing my blood family ever did for me.” 

Behind him, Roy rolled his eyes and mouthed ‘He would _never_ remind us of that’ at Duke, who suppressed a chuckle. And like. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t figured out this stuff for himself already. It was just… nice. To hear someone else say it, too. 

“You don’t think it might be difficult to get approval?” Duke asked. He was genuinely curious. They were the only people he knew who had gone through the process in the civilian way instead of the approved Bat way (which is to say, encounter a kid that was trying to kill someone and adopt it). 

“Yeah, no,” Jason said, “not if you got Wayne money behind you.” 

“Or Drake money, if you prefer,” Tim added. 

That offer meant something, Duke knew. Tim did not throw his old name around lightly. “Weren’t there any questions when you took in Ava?” 

“Nah.” Roy shook his head. “We already had a kid, since I’ve had sole custody of Lian for ages. And Jay had her in his care when I was—gone—and Tim was my husband who I had adopt her, too. It was pretty easy to look good on paper.” 

Didn’t mean it was the same for a single black meta. As if he’d read that thought, Jason offered: “Hell, if you want, _I’ll_ marry you.” 

Duke grinned. He was tempted to take him up on that offer just for the conniptions Bruce would have. “Marriages are as real—or as romantic—as you want them to be, huh?” 

“Exactly. Not that ours isn’t,” Roy threw Tim a fond look, “it’s just not the whole story.” 

“Because Jason is a dramatic bitch who insists on being dead.” 

“ _Excuse you—”_

“Can you guys keep it down?” Lian had appeared in the doorway. “We can hear you all the way to the princesses’ room.” 

“Don’t call your dads ‘you guys,’” Roy complained. Duke thought he knew precisely which of them she had picked up that particular habit from, but wisely kept his mouth shut. 

In true teenager fashion, Lian ignored him and walked over to Duke. A brightly-colored book was plopped into his lap. 

“…’There Are No Bears in This Bakery?’” 

“I mean, Roy’s trying, but the chest hair isn’t doing well.” 

“Shut up, Jay.” 

“She wants you to read it to her,” Lian explained with exaggerated patience. “Otherwise she won’t be able to sleep, quote, ‘aaaaall night,’ unquote.” 

Duke laughed and detangled himself from the blankets and limbs around him. “Guess I better go do that, then.” 

This was good for now, he thought as he tiptoed into the dimly-lit children’s room. He was uncle to… what, eight kids now? That was pretty cool. 

“Uncle Duke!” 

Duke smiled. “I heard you were asking for a story?” 

Someday, though. Someday. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally gonna be about Tim meeting Lian for the first time, and then it evolved into… this. Because I felt like writing Duke. 
> 
> My apologies to ‘There Are No Bears in This Bakery’ by Julia Sarcone-Roach, which sounds lovely and did not deserve that joke.


End file.
